Senior Gardener (Part-time, FTC)
West Stow, Suffolk
About Us
Perennial is the nation's only charity dedicated to helping people in horticulture. Together with our network of partners, we provide free support, information, advice, financial assistance and services for horticulturalists and their loved ones experiencing illness, disability, bereavement, family breakdown and financial difficulties.
We have a real focus on improving the health and wellbeing outcomes of people working in horticulture and have an ambitious preventative strategy to create better futures for people working in horticulture.
Fullers Mill is an enchanting and tranquil seven-acre creation on the banks of the River Lark. It combines a beautiful site of light dappled woodland with a plantsman's collection of unusual shrubs, perennials, lilies and marginal plants. It is a garden of truly year-round interest.
We are now looking for a Senior Garden to join us for an 18 month fixed term contract, on a part-time basis working 22.5 hours per week, ideally over Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The Benefits
- Salary of £24,000 pro rata
- 25 days' holiday pro rata, plus Bank Holidays
- Pension
- DIS benefit (3x salary)
- Sickness pay
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Well-established family friendly policies, including the ability to have extra unpaid leave
- Time off for dependants
- Company car/car benefit
This is a fantastic opportunity for a knowledgeable gardener with experience of working in publicly open gardens, to put their green fingers to use in our vital organisation.
If you're looking to further your experience and enhance your CV, this is a rare chance to join us and contribute to our established garden that has won RHS Partner Garden of the Year for the Midlands and East of England two years in a row.
What's more, you will discover a friendly team and a range of benefits to support you in your personal and professional life, so if you know your Hostas from your Hollyhocks, we want to hear from you!
The Role
As a Senior Gardener, you will oversee the effective cultivation and maintenance of our award-winning Fullers Mill Garden.
Implementing improvements with the Head Gardener, you will oversee propagation, planting, pruning and the overall maintenance of lawns, ponds and paths.
You will also provide expert guidance to our team of enthusiastic volunteers and support the general opening of the garden, including engaging positively with the public.
About You
To be considered as a Senior Gardener, you will need:
- Previous experience of working in a garden open to visitors
- Substantial practical experience in horticulture
- Good general knowledge of horticulture and related disciplines
- The ability to prioritise and manage your workload and evaluate and plan others work
- The ability to work as part of a team and lead others including trainees or volunteers
- Excellent interpersonal skills when dealing with colleagues, volunteers and visitors
- Good written and oral communication skills
- A formal qualification in horticulture e.g. RHS level 2 or 3, apprenticeship (or equivalent)
Ideally, you will have previous experience in garden construction techniques, using garden machinery and working outside in all weather.
Experience of managing volunteers would be highly beneficial.
Please note, the closing date for applications is 8th January 2022.
Other organisations may call this role Senior Groundskeeper, Senior Grounds Person, Senior Horticultural Technician, Senior Horticulture Operative, or Horticulturalist.
Webrecruit and Perennial, Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.
So, if you can help us to grow as a Senior Gardener, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.